Live Cultures 10 Billion: reading the count and the strains

The number in the name is not the evidence

A figure printed in a product name is marketing text. It only becomes checkable when the label states the same figure with a basis and a date reference behind it.

Treat the name as a headline, and read the label for the specification.

Strains have to be named

Live culture products are defined by the specific strains they contain, and those strains belong on the label in full. A genus on its own, or a phrase such as a culture blend, does not identify anything.

If the strains are not named, there is nothing to compare between two packs and nothing to look up later.

• Each strain identified in full, not just a genus
• The number of distinct strains in the pack
• Whether a stated count is split across strains or given as a total

Ask what the count is measured at

A viable count means different things depending on when it is measured. A figure at the time of manufacture and a figure guaranteed to the end of shelf life are not the same statement.

The basis should be printed next to the number. Without it, a large count tells you less than a smaller count that states its basis clearly.

Storage conditions are part of the specification

Live culture products carry storage instructions, and whether a pack needs refrigeration is a label fact rather than a detail to infer.

Read the storage wording and the best before date together, because the count basis is tied to both.

30 capsules, and what a portion is

Capsule count is the pack size. The stated portion decides how many portions that pack contains, and the declared count applies to the portion rather than to the bottle.

What the label tells you

The full ingredients list, the amount per portion, allergens, dietary suitability, directions and storage are printed on the pack.

Read the label before you take any supplement, and check the product page for the format, pack size and price before you buy.